The rise of the nostalgia economy and fluid multiformat video in LATAM

A few days ago I found myself watching an almost hour-long video on YouTube. The funny thing is that it all started with a clip of less than 30 seconds. That made me think about something I see more and more, both in my work and in my own viewing habits: people don’t necessarily want shorter content, they want content that gives them a reason to keep watching.

I’m Johan Hernández, Lead of our agency’s Audiovisual Production and Animation Department for more than two years, and I’ve been working in the audiovisual industry for more than nine years across production companies, agencies and projects for different brands. Over this time I’ve seen platforms evolve, formats change and new trends appear, but one thing stays constant: people keep connecting with content that stirs an emotion or sparks their curiosity.

From clip to long-form: how we discover content today

Today we talk a lot about short video because it’s everywhere. TikTok, Reels and Shorts have transformed the way we discover content. However, from both my professional and personal experience, I don’t think this means people have stopped consuming long content. Rather, short video has become the first step of the journey.

It happens to me all the time. I watch a short video that catches my attention and end up looking for the full version on YouTube. I often go from a 30-second clip to an hour-long interview, a documentary or a much deeper analysis. But for that to happen, the content has to do its job well:

• Have an interesting topic.
• Dynamic editing.
• A clear hook from the first few seconds.
• And an ending that sparks the need to know more.

The growth of streaming has also reinforced this behavior. Today it’s common to discover a creator or a brand through a clip on TikTok, Instagram or YouTube Shorts and end up following them on platforms where the content is much longer, such as YouTube, Twitch or Kick. Short content has become a kind of trailer that sparks interest, while long-form and streaming platforms are where community, trust and connection with the audience are really built. We are no longer talking about users who consume a single platform, but about audiences that constantly move between formats and channels depending on the kind of content they’re looking for.

The nostalgia economy: connecting through emotion

On the other hand, there’s a trend that is gaining more and more strength and that I find especially relevant for brands: the nostalgia economy.

We’re seeing visual, musical and cultural references from the 90s and 2000s connect with audiences again. The reason is simple: nostalgia creates immediate emotions. It reminds us of moments, experiences and stages of our lives that already carry emotional meaning for us.

Content ecosystems and the challenge for brands

From the audiovisual production side, this is a very valuable opportunity. Brands should no longer think in isolated pieces for a single platform, but in content ecosystems where each format plays a specific role:

• Short video can drive discovery, reach and interest.
• Long-form content can go deeper into a story, explain a service or strengthen an audience’s trust.

This is especially important for corporate and institutional brands. There’s a perception that connecting with younger audiences is harder when you offer technical or institutional services, but I believe the real challenge isn’t the product or service, it’s the way it’s communicated.

New generations value authenticity. They want real stories, educational content that adds value, human experiences and formats that speak their language.

Showing the impact services have on people’s lives, sharing real cases, opening behind-the-scenes spaces, tapping into visual trends and using relatable narratives can create a much more effective connection than overly formal communication.

Brands also have a huge opportunity to take inspiration from what many content creators do. It’s not about becoming influencers, but about understanding what keeps an audience interested: a good opening hook, a clear story, a dynamic pace and a reward for those who stay until the end are elements that work whether we’re talking about entertainment, education or institutional communication.

Building experiences, not just videos

In the end, it’s not about choosing between short and long video. It’s about understanding how both formats coexist and how they can complement each other to build a more complete experience. And if we also manage to bring in emotional elements like nostalgia in an authentic and strategic way, brands will have a better chance of building recall, affinity and stronger relationships with new generations.